Heart of Darkness
by Swallows Fly as Free as a Bird
Summary: Deep in the Amazon, hidden from human kind, lies a black lagoon. In its murky waters lies a secret as old as time, a Creature, something unforetold in science. A young researcher decides she must discover this Creature, but what will happen? Yes, finally the Creature receives some love and affection. Creature/ OC
1. The Jungle

_I love this movie, the Creature is so awesome, he needed some loving. I just... He's my favorite monster ever. :D He wasn't a real monster, just misunderstood. Go Creature! :3_

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_Creature of the Black Lagoon_

_Heart of Darkness_

_Chapter 1: "In the Moonlight"_

The screeches of chimps echoed through the thick, dark brush of the Amazon. The moonlight above bathed the large canopy of trees in a warm white glow. The humid, damp air still lingered in the air from the recent tropical rains common to the area. The moisture of the lagoon seemed to add another effect of humidity, the thickness of the air hot and heavy.

She turned over at the screeching, restless on this damp night. She remembered the boatman's words to her,

_"Be careful at night, Ms. Ryan. Everything here in this jungle are killers. Beware of every screech, every moan, every howl of the wind- because amongst it all, you may hear __**its**__ cries." _At the time, she merely laughed it off and waved the boatman away. He was a superstitious fool, listening to old tales and legends the locals told about the 'Black Lagoon.'

The natives thought her mad, trying to tell her of other places for research and study, lure her off her true course in fear of her fate. She did not care to listen, her mind one-tracked and focused on reaching the 'Paradise' of the Amazon. They claimed it was beautiful, luscious with marine and plant life, full of discovery with its tranquility.

It was claimed that the Lagoon held secrets beneath its murky waters, a deep, dark secret others have tried to harness, only to fail and disappear. Many have disappeared from these parts, no one has ever lived to tell the tale of their time in the Lagoon.

She knew, or heard of, the team of researches and geologists that visited the Lagoons decades ago, in hopes to discover the rest of the fossilized skeleton that the humanoid-amphibian hand belonged to. They had discover more than just fossils, apparently, they had found the actual Creature itself. Still alive after millions of years, functioning and living alone since the last of its fellow species died out.

But that was only stories, no actual evidence except statements from the team proved of its grand story. She didn't believe it herself, the hand had been disregarded by her fellow scientists. The timeline of human evolution had no place for such a creature, its remains still incomplete and missing.

She came to the Lagoon to further research this phenomena, to test and see for herself if such a creature did exist or just belong in bedtime stories parents told their children at night to scare them with tales of disobedient children and morals. No, she had to see it for herself. It could be the greatest find yet, nothing compares to it in discovery if she could prove it.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, her body shaking slightly as she laid down alone in her cot. The thought of such a creature was still humorous in the field of science, the idea still not widely accepted and some even called her naïve, silly to believe such a thing as a mysterious creature.

She couldn't help but feel the lure to the Lagoon, the mysterious fog that loomed over its murky waters when the nights were hot and moist. The way the animals all seemed to avoid the environment, with the chirping of birds and screeching of chimps off far deeper into the jungle brush.

There was something about this place. She thought, shaking her head as she turned over on the rough canvas cot she called bed.

"There has to be." She muttered under her breath, sweat beading down her forehead as a cold clamp seeped over her, the hairs on the back of her neck and arms stand up. Goosebumps grew on her arms, a shiver running down her spine at the thought. She never considered it before but now that she was here, alone and in the Amazon, the thought of such a creature sent a new fear in her mind. She could die tonight, she could disappear tonight, many things could happen in this Lagoon.

More than she had originally planned.

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_What did ya think? Kinda short, but did I set an overall mood? I love input guys! :D _

_Thanks my lovelies,_

_Andrea :)_


	2. The Lagoon's Rock Plain

Heart of Darkness

She hadn't slept well that night. She rose early at the break of dawn and was quick to start working at what her purpose was in the Amazonian paradise- to find evidence of a creature. The air had cleared of humidity but it was now replaced with the pure, punishing heat of the sun above. Trudging along, she began to hike along the small part of forest around the lagoon for rocks or landmarks. The howling of the apes continued throughout the day, birds of all kinds cawing and singing their song of the Amazon. Entertained by this, she decided to occupy herself with a soft lullaby.

"Someone told the waves to collapse

While we were swimming underneath

Water filled our lungs and throats

In panic caught we tried to breathe..." There was some rustling at a nearby brush, the cawing had stopped momentarily at the sudden noise but then continued naturally. She stopped singing as well, looking in the general direction the rustling came from and watched it carefully. Her heart began to pound loud enough for her to hear it ringing in her ears. Thoughts in the back of her head went to the local legends everyone told her repeatedly. It echoed throughout her mind, over and over omnisciently.

"He lives in the Lagoon. He lives there Ms. Ryan. He dwells alone in the lagoon, looking for a companion..." There was more rustling from the bush, the howling becoming into screeches of horror. The cawing become the song of danger, roaring throughout the jungle as she stood there helpless. She was paralyzed at what could happen to her, backing away from the bush as she tried to leave the area unnoticed by whatever it was disturbing the habitat.

_The waves they murmured gentle songs_

_Of dream worlds, joy and liberty_

_An ancient, timeless lullaby_

_For the lovers of infinity_

Having left that area with her life, she thanked her luck and began to go back to camp defeatedly. After a whole day's work, she turned up nothing to prove the Creature's existence. She had only a month here in the Amazon thanks to her grant, but Dr. Marx warned her about this expedition.

"If you don't turn up anything, you'll lose all credibility Lana. I hope for your sake something does happen in the Amazon."

She shuddered, a fear washing over her at the prospect of never being respected in her field again. She had worked hard to get to where she was at her young age of 26, and she wasn't going to let a Creature from legend ruin it. She would achieve the impossible, that was her goal. She would find any remains if there were any to be found in this Amazon.

_And so I follow the swans_

_Through the timeless stream_

_Into a paradise of thought_

_Where imaginations do redeem_

She reached the camp tiredly, dropping her olive green canvas messenger bag on the dirt beside her tent before going to the table in the middle of camp she had set up. On the table were a small set up of beakers, a scale, some scuba gear, and archeological tools to dig out whatever was out here.

"Maybe I should go swim around, see what's out here..." She mumbled to herself, thinking on it a moment before she smiled and went into the privacy of her tent to change. She wasn't insecure about her body, she was proud that she had the firm tone of a swimmer. So when she stepped out of her tent in a white bathing suit, she looked as lovely as ever. Letting her long brunette hair down, she stretched momentarily before suiting up with her scuba gear.

_Sing with me the ocean's lullaby_

_When water fills your lung and mind_

_Follow the ocean's sweetest cry_

_To leave a liquid world behind_

Setting her goggles on, she took a deep breath of the pure, fresh air before diving straight down into the depths of the lagoon. The water was clear once underwater it seemed, she was able to see the whole lagoon bed covered with plant and seaweed. There were some black or brown tailed fish swimming close to the rocks, another school of these brown with red tipped tails swimming nearby on the rock plain. She swam in closer, the rock plain was smooth limestone, a couple boulders here and there sticking out but it was limestone. Hopeful, she took a couple rock samples and put them in the satchel she had brought with her before swimming deeper to investigate the rock formation.

To her, it seemed the rock had built up over time with its very evident layers from possibility the nearby bank of limestone. It was that area out of the lagoon where the fossil was found many years ago, so all was not lost.

_Someone told the waves to stroke_

_the lonely swimmers on their back_

_Greed and hunger turned to us_

_To gather for the great attack_

Satisfied with a small glimmer of opportunity, she made her ascension back up slowly as she adjusted to the different pressure before reemerging completely. Little did she know that right under her the Creature curiously watched her graceful swim around the plain with the same fascination he had with Kay decades ago.

_While we were struggling for our lives_

_Waters sang a weeping melody_

_and turned flesh to earth at noon_

_A creation for the ones who see..._

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**Guys, I watched the creature again and couldn't disappoint with not updating, so here it is! :) and Miratete, that scene is from the Seven Year Itch with Marilyn Monroe, it is so true :) he is misunderstood. I'm glad you guys like it so far, I'm enjoying writing this. Don't worry, maybe she will confront the creature next chapter, who knows? D: **

**Thanks loves,**

**Andrea**


	3. Be Careful For What You Wish For

_Heart of Darkness_

**The Amazon**

**August 3, 2013**

_I just finished collecting some data from the rocks I got yesterday from the rock plain. Yes, it is limestone. I decided to take a hike over to the original campsite and took some samples from that mass of limestone. It's a match. I feel a small glimmer of hope from this recent development. I wasn't expecting this since the last team here, who experienced the Creature incident, said they hadn't found any evidence of limestone plains underwater in the lagoon. But as they claimed, they confronted the creature soon after the discovery of the fossil. _

_I know the fossil has been disregarded as a joke, but I feel some hope in this. What if this fossil can help find any missing links in our own evolution? What if this creature was apart of another form of humanoid, like the humans and Neanderthals in the Ice Age? I believe that is a worthy hypothesis anyway. Then again this is all on gut feelings and luck, but I know there must be something out here. Yesterday there were some rustling in the bushes on my hike, which may not seem like much but the whole area went berserk. The birds cawed frantically, the apes screeched so loud I was amazed I can still hear after an incident like that one. _

_Nevertheless, I didn't see what was in that bush, I was too frightened. Which I think is justified because I'm alone out here except for Josè and his crew that stop by daily to check on me. I went on this expedition alone because no one was willing to take the chance, not even my now former fiancée James. He thought it too risky, wished me good luck and eloped to Europe with some assistant. _

_Rather overdramatic much, maybe. _

_However I was not all too heartbroken by this, I felt it was for the best I he wasn't willing to trust in my faith. Well, who needs him anyway. He had no reputation to ruin anyway._

_Back on point, I will rest today, maybe run into this Creature if I'm lucky. _

_Cheers,_

_Lana_

She flipped the leather bound journal shut, boredly tapping the pen against the desk in her tent as she contemplated what to do today. She wondered if maybe when Josè comes back she would ask him to take her back to town for a night and get some real sleep in a hotel of some sort. Thinking on it more, she then shut that idea down knowing that it wasn't a wise decision to leave everything here not even for a moment. You never know what might happen overnight, she had to keep on her toes and tread softly here in the Amazon. The last thing she needed was a jaguar to appear and that'll be the end of her and her expedition. Instead, she got up from her desk chair and stepped out to get her bag she had left there from yesterday's hike. Inside it had the map, some notes and her survival knife in there, she knew she needed that especially to protect herself from whatever was in the jungle.

Stepping out casually, she was surprised to see it gone. Cursing under her breath, she investigated the area for any signs of anything and figured it was probably the apes that stole it overnight.

"Damn dirty little apes." She mumbled, looking around the whole tent to see peculiar markings and footsteps in the mud like dirt and was about to investigate further when her name was called.

"Ms. Ryan! Ms. Lana! Are you home?" It was Josè the boatman. He was in his usual spot of the middle of the lagoon looking over to where she had made camp ashore. Lana left the weird markings momentarily and went over to the water, waving over to him.

"Over here Josè!" Laughter erupted once he saw her, returning the greeting as he then explained his laugh.

"I thought for a moment the Creature had taken you Ms. Lana!" Lana shook her head with a chuckle and laughed as well, calling back over to him with her response.

"I'm still looking for him! I wish he would show up!" She joked, the two of them laughing as he then waved his arms and pointed to a crate he had on deck.

"It's for you Ms. Lana! From the institute! They wanted me to send it to you, it's supplies and food I believe!"

"Alright! I'll be here, send a row boat to shore!"

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It was some more tent, survival and scientific supplies donated at the wishes of Mr. Silva from the institute in Rio. She had met him before when she explained her reason she was there. He laughed at first, telling her to go back now and leave legends to be legends but she was determined. It appeared now that he was also funding her search for such evidence of legends despite doubting her at first. Hidden at the very bottom of the crate was a note from him,

_"Lana,_

_I thought you mad at first, but I realize now you may have something there. As I dwell deeper into the subject, the locals all say the same thing about a fish-man. My dear, please be careful, I wish to take you to dinner someday._

_Yours truly,_

_Charles"_

She snorted, reading it over again so she understood correctly what he was saying.

"Dinner and funding, interesting man he is isn't he." She mumbled, pocketing the note and putting all her new supplies in their rightful place around camp. Most of it went into her tent and the other supplies that she tucked away daily at the nighttime that lay resided on the table, she put it in the crate for safe keeping. She felt that the loss of her map was sad, but now with this lead she may have something here in the lagoon. Standing out to the lagoon, Josè's loud riverboat long gone, she noticed the serene beauty of it all. It was just becoming sundown, the soft pink and orange sky set the backdrop for the quickly darkening jungle as the howling and cawing of birds quieted momentarily. Smiling, she took a deep breath and was about to go cook something to eat when from behind a hand held her fast at her waist and a clawed, scaly wet hand covered her mouth to muffle her screams.

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**Can't you just hear the suspenseful, scary music from the movie?**

**DUN DE DUNNNN, DUN DE DUUUUUUUUUUN!**

**:D so, he kidnapped her. Typical creature. Always taking the women. :3**

**Andrea**

**I updated really fast because I felt after months of no update, it may be nice to treat you guys to three or two chapters :) I'm sorry they are short, it'll be nice and long next chapter, promise**


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